Small Business/Start-Up Owners: How Are You Marketing Your Companies?

[DaChampIsHere]

I have this thing that I've been working on (non-profit) for the past year. Released a product under that with a friend and it did pretty good for the audience I was trying to get locally. But we are about to start another project and we are looking to make a bigger impact than the past effort.

Methods we've used:
- Promotional Apparel
- Events/Parties
- Social Networking
- Media

I was looking into HARO/Vocus/PRWeb. Anybody have experience with those services? We should also probably get a website so looking into that as well lol. I was looking into local newspapers, but I don't think the audience I wanna hit really reads newspapers like that.

It's only 2 of us and probably 1 more person helping out on the marketing tip so nothing too outrageous

 

[Mr Uncle Leroy]

what you gotta to do is create a 30 day launch plan...

PR - gets sales blimps, but a 30 day launch plan, meaning, sales related launch daily, would create an energy around the product of results and purchases

day 1 - email potential prospect
day 2 - respond to interested and applicable tweets
day 3 - get press for launch date; get sponsors
day 4 - create like campaign on youtube
day 5 - do ad buys on google

etc...

30 days minimum.

what type of product is it?

 

[DaChampIsHere]

what you gotta to do is create a 30 day launch plan...

PR - gets sales blimps, but a 30 day launch plan, meaning, sales related launch daily, would create and energy around the product of results and purchases

day 1 - email potential prospect
day 2 - respond to interested and applicable tweets
day 3 - get press for launch date; get sponsors
day 4 - create like campaign on youtube
day 5 - do ad buys on google

etc...

30 days minimum.

what type of product is it?

It's entertainment media with a conscious overtone. The organization as a whole is about community service and social awareness.

We've already "launched" and have released products. We aren't selling things. Strictly free. I pretty much handle social media (responding to tweets/tweeting/Facebook/Youtube).

I'm not looking to sell things as much as I'm looking to "PR"/popularize the free product I have (which I guess would be the equivalent of just attracting a customer to your business period, not adding trying to get them to buy something.).

 

[Mr Uncle Leroy]

It's entertainment media with a conscious overtone. The organization as a whole is about community service and social awareness.

We've already "launched" and have released products. We aren't selling things. Strictly free. I pretty much handle social media (responding to tweets/tweeting/Facebook/Youtube).

I'm not looking to sell things as much as I'm looking to "PR"/popularize the free product I have (which I guess would be the equivalent of just attracting a customer to your business period, not adding trying to get them to buy something.).

paid or unpaid products - still gotta connect with the customer

day 1 - email potential prospect - need an email list
day 2 - respond to interested and applicable tweets - need to engage now and potential customers on twitter
day 3 - get press for launch date; get sponsors - reach out/pitch local companies
day 4 - create like campaign on youtube
day 5 - do ad buys on google

If there is a good story, PR picks up the story and reprints it, thousands release a story daily...which should a writer pick your story? what makes it stand out?

might pitch applicable reporters directly...HARO is a good platform, though sometimes there is no timeline when article will print, sometimes after interviewing with reporter quotes might/or might not be used. PR needs to be part of the bigger pictures.

what the link to the site? You can PM it also.

 

[unit321]

Advertise to your target audience. Radio, print, Internet.
This one coffee shop was in a bad location as in not visible to regular traffic. They put up signage on the side of the road and got some visibility for being near a Blockbuster store. They went out of business. It was only a matter of time. Another business opens up in the same location, a kebob restaurant. Same thing. They only advertised off the street. No advertisements. I predicted they would go out of business soon too. One day, I'm returning a DVD and voila, the restaurant is empty. They didn't spend money on marketing. And they were in a bad location. There's a pizza shop and Chinese restaurant nearby but they are more visible to traffic. They are still open.

 

[DaChampIsHere]

paid or unpaid products - still gotta connect with the customer

day 1 - email potential prospect - need an email list
day 2 - respond to interested and applicable tweets - need to engage now and potential customers on twitter
day 3 - get press for launch date; get sponsors - reach out/pitch local companies
day 4 - create like campaign on youtube
day 5 - do ad buys on google

If there is a good story, PR picks up the story and reprints it, thousands release a story daily...which should a writer pick your story? what makes it stand out?

might pitch applicable reporters directly...HARO is a good platform, though sometimes there is no timeline when article will print, sometimes after interviewing with reporter quotes might/or might not be used. PR needs to be part of the bigger pictures.

what the link to the site? You can PM it also.

Ok. I have an email list and everything 1-4 (except my email list only covers my local area which is ) When I think, I guess I really need that website to give a central location to direct people to that may not be familiar. That would help out of with a lot of things, but Facebook is getting the basic, necessary things done now.

I guess what's kinda "great" and the project we are working on is that it's really college students all volunteering their time/resources/thoughts into something much bigger and positive for the community. Which is kinda cool cause it's really hard to get college students of all people to donate their time to something they aren't gonna profit from monetarily. And the output of it is promoting any kind of artistry that maintains a positive influence (videographers, photographers, poets, writers, singers, producers, rappers, etc.) but all at the college level, while also giving these people a chance to grow in their artistry/experience building.)

I forgot, in addition to all the other stuff, We've gotten billboard ads done as well, but also had to draft up a hefty amount of proposals to get that donated and such as well. So that's another form of marketing that has been used. I think I'm gonna talk to my partner about the google ads though, but I'm thinking getting them to actually DONATE might be a fulltime job. Pretty sure that will have to be paid for. Our working budget for the last project was a little under 10K. Even getting that money for things period (promotional items, booking event space, studio/equipment time, production costs, etc.) was not fun,

but I guess...

 

[DaChampIsHere]

Advertise to your target audience. Radio, print, Internet.
This one coffee shop was in a bad location as in not visible to regular traffic. They put up signage on the side of the road and got some visibility for being near a Blockbuster store. They went out of business. It was only a matter of time. Another business opens up in the same location, a kebob restaurant. Same thing. They only advertised off the street. No advertisements. I predicted they would go out of business soon too. One day, I'm returning a DVD and voila, the restaurant is empty. They didn't spend money on marketing. And they were in a bad location. There's a pizza shop and Chinese restaurant nearby but they are more visible to traffic. They are still open.

Yeah. Our thing is more digitally based rather than a tangible item and doesn't really require a housing location, but what you are saying makes sense.

I've discovered that Twitter works the best out of all the social networking platforms.

 

[Mr Uncle Leroy]

Ok. I have an email list and everything 1-4 (except my email list only covers my local area which is ) When I think, I guess I really need that website to give a central location to direct people to that may not be familiar. That would help out of with a lot of things, but Facebook is getting the basic, necessary things done now.

I guess what's kinda "great" and the project we are working on is that it's really college students all volunteering their time/resources/thoughts into something much bigger and positive for the community. Which is kinda cool cause it's really hard to get college students of all people to donate their time to something they aren't gonna profit from monetarily. And the output of it is promoting any kind of artistry that maintains a positive influence (videographers, photographers, poets, writers, singers, producers, rappers, etc.) but all at the college level, while also giving these people a chance to grow in their artistry/experience building.)

I forgot, in addition to all the other stuff, We've gotten billboard ads done as well, but also had to draft up a hefty amount of proposals to get that donated and such as well. So that's another form of marketing that has been used. I think I'm gonna talk to my partner about the google ads though, but I'm thinking getting them to actually DONATE might be a fulltime job. Pretty sure that will have to be paid for. Our working budget for the last project was a little under 10K. Even getting that money for things period (promotional items, booking event space, studio/equipment time, production costs, etc.) was not fun,

but I guess...

college students all volunteering their time/resources/thoughts into something much bigger and positive for the community. And the output of it is promoting any kind of artistry that maintains a positive influence (videographers, photographers, poets, writers, singers, producers, rappers, etc.) but all at the college level, while also giving these people a chance to grow in their artistry/experience building.)

what exactly is your 30 second pitch? Is the site a community/service/product/etc? Who benefits from site? college students? how - college students are able to donate and volunteer time for__________________ ....also creators in media arts promote their services on the site? Is there a list of volunteer activities a student can join? how does the site make money? Is the site 501c3?

 

[DaChampIsHere]

college students all volunteering their time/resources/thoughts into something much bigger and positive for the community. And the output of it is promoting any kind of artistry that maintains a positive influence (videographers, photographers, poets, writers, singers, producers, rappers, etc.) but all at the college level, while also giving these people a chance to grow in their artistry/experience building.)

what exactly is your 30 second pitch? Is the site a community/service/product/etc? Who benefits from site? college students? how - college students are able to donate and volunteer time for__________________ creators in media arts promote their service on the site? Is there a list of volunteer activities a student can join? how does the site make money? Is the site 501c3?

You clearly haven't read anything I've been typing. Knowing such I'm not gonna entertain your BS any further. If you want to be considered an intelligent individual, take several seats, go back, and re-reads what's been typed in here, then reply. Thanks.

 

[Mr Uncle Leroy]

if you are serious about business, you will listen and explain what you are talking about...
its not clear.

you have not sent a link, however you make inquiries about how to promote/market the site.

you guys are not targeting marketing, just a bunch of marketing ideas that are general...
a billboard...where will the billboard be? whats the call to action on the billboard? will the billboard to more brand awareness than promotion? if person driving, will they, stop, take no of the billboard and write down the website to visit? is there a number to call? is there sms shortcode? Is the billboard in a densely populate area with students? is that how students want to reached, through billboards?

what exactly is your 30 second pitch?
purpose, re: 30 second pitch
Who are you? What does your service, product, or business offer? If you are already in business, briefly note how profitable or impactful it is to date; if not, provide realistic estimates related to your business’ performance. Think: Results. Also include what you look to do, especially if this speaks to how the listener(s) can be of support to you.

Is the site a community/service/product/etc? Who benefits from site? college students? how - college students are able to donate and volunteer time for__________________ creators in media arts promote their service on the site? Is there a list of volunteer activities a student can join? how does the site make money? Is the site 501c3?

since you cant explain your own business, there assumption is:

College based volunteer site.
- Local college, university students sign up on a site for volunteer based event.
- Corporation can list volunteer based event, via title, description, location, contact info, etc
- Student get rewarded via points for each task they complete
- Students get to give back to the community.

Media Creator
- Can list volunteer related activities?
- Can find student to assist them on volunteer/intern type work?

 

[DaChampIsHere]

if you are serious about business, you will listen and explain what you are talking about...
its not clear.

you have not sent a link, however you make inquiries about how to promote/market the site.

you guys are not targeting marketing, just a bunch of marketing ideas that are general...
a billboard...where will the billboard be? whats the call to action on the billboard? will the billboard to more brand awareness than promotion? if person driving, will they, stop, take no of the billboard and write down the website to visit? is there a number to call? is there sms shortcode? Is the billboard in a densely populate area with students? is that how students want to reached, through billboards?

If you read the thread you'd see that everything you asked me in your previous post had already been acknowledged/answered (ie. Asking me if I'm selling stuff when I just told you everything is free. Asking me "where will the billboard be?" when I just posted that the billboard was already done for the first project. )

We target students to provide volunteers/talent, but our product is for "everyone".

Only dumb nikkas can turn a thread about something positive into something stupid. Don't troll me.

Edit: I should have known better to entertain you. This is my fault. Your edit just reveals even more that you didn't really comprehend anything I typed. You got it breh.

 

[Mr Uncle Leroy]

stfu and listen and take advice

 

[DaChampIsHere]

stfu and listen and take advice

When you learn how to read maybe someone will listen. I can go question for quote and show you that everything you asked was already typed.

About to ask mods to delete thread cause you seriously fukked my shyt up.

 

[Rominati]

Build your brand doggie. Cause right now at this stage you cant do much else. Just focus on that. Sell your custies the lifestyle. Make them want to be apart of you movement. Get ya videographer homies to make lil vlogs of ya'll life and your community service functions and shyt. Make it look cool. Make the customers become emotionally invested in your product and company.



http://dormtainment.com/


^^^
These guys are a good example and blueprint to follow

 

[Mr Uncle Leroy]

idea a...

this has been achieved...

these are the next steps...


idea b

this has been achieve...

these are the next step...


they you explain it was confusing